


Day 20 (ALT 3): coma

by SpiderShell



Series: FEBUWHUMP 2021: IronDad [20]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Coronavirus, FebuWhump2021, Gen, Poor Peter Parker, Sick May Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:49:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29560755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiderShell/pseuds/SpiderShell
Summary: In theory, it was rather fortunate that the Midtown School of Science and Technology was still open. COVID-19 had been ravaging the country, New York State one of the most concentrated areas, but the schools were still holding out strong, for now. Peter was glad. Going to school gave him some aspect of normality in his life; it was something to rely on when the world seemed to be going to pieces around him.
Relationships: May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: FEBUWHUMP 2021: IronDad [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136318
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	Day 20 (ALT 3): coma

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [when everything's wrong (you make it right)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23206243) by [parkerxheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/parkerxheart/pseuds/parkerxheart). 



> **WARNING:** an emphasis on COVID-19. If this upsets you, please read no further. 
> 
> **NOTE**: I have made this fic take place in 2020, for the sake of the virus, but the actual timeline should be 2017/18.

**Virus {noun}** : _a disease or illness caused by a virus._   
**Coronavirus {noun}** : _a member of the virus family_ coronaviridae. 

In theory, it was rather fortunate that the Midtown School of Science and Technology was still open. COVID-19 had been ravaging the country, New York State one of the most concentrated areas, but the schools were still holding out strong, for now. Peter was glad. Going to school gave him some aspect of normality in his life; it was something to rely on when the world seemed to be going to pieces around him. 

He was in the middle of a biology exam, filling in the answers carefully with a 2H pencil. All the studying he'd done over the past week or so - and that one all nighter that no one knew about - had paid off, and he was confident that he would pass the test with high scores. Getting an A in this exam would bring his GPA up to a 4.2, which would make both May and Tony happy. 

He glanced at his friends. Ned was furiously scribbling away at something, brow furrowed in concentration, while MJ was slowly making her way down a page at a more orderly pace, face calm and unconcerned. Biting back a smile, he turned his attention back to the exam. 

_A cell of the pancreas produces digestive enzymes, which are proteins. The enzymes are released into the small intestine._

_Suggest which two of the following are adaptations to its role?_

_Tick two boxes._

Peter frowned, thought, and ticked the boxes. 

_In the list below, which characteristic is NOT necessary in order to be classified as a living organism?_

"Mr. Parker." 

Peter looked up, surprised, to see the principal standing in the doorway of the classroom. His face was paler than the time someone had released stink bombs in his office, which was saying a lot.

“Yes, Mr. Morita?” he asked, putting his pencil down and giving the teacher his full attention. 

“I got a phone call, and it seems that your aunt collapsed at work and has been taken to the hospital.”

Peter’s stomach dropped. “What? When? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine,” the principal said slowly, “but unfortunately she is suspected to have the virus. I need you to come to the office with me so that I can work out who has been in contact with you for the past two weeks in the event that your aunt does indeed have the virus.”

"Yes, sir," Peter said faintly, his mind in a haze as he walked through the halls. 

"Now," Principal Morita said once the two were settled in his office, "please write down the names of the people you've been in close contact with in the last two weeks." He pushed a blank piece of paper and a pen towards Peter, giving the boy a sympathetic glance when their eyes met.

Peter wracked his brain for the names of all the people he'd interacted with recently. To his surprise, he realised that he hadn't actually gone anywhere recently.

But Spider-Man had. 

With every fiber of his being, he hoped that his suit was enough to keep the toxins away from people if he ended up carrying the virus. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he was the reason an uncontrollable cluster of cases broke out - his stomach curled at the thought. 

"Peter, this has gotten out of hand." Principal Morita was reading through the list, an unhappy frown on his face. "You've put Tony Stark on this list."

"Yeah," Peter said, blinking back tears. "Last Friday, I had the internship-"

"Uh uh uh," the principal interrupted. "I don't know why you persist in trying to live this fantasy. Look, you're a high school student. How would you even get an internship when they're only available to college students, and how would Tony Stark even have time for you? He's a busy man, Peter. Stop this nonsense."

Peter's gaze dropped and he stayed silent.

The phone rang.

Morita picked it up, and immediately, his face turned sad. "Yes, of course...thank you...Goodbye." He turned to Peter. "Your aunt's test came back positive, and she's been put on the ventilator. You won't be able to see her for at least a few weeks, so you need to stay with someone else for a while. Unfortunately, that means that you and that person will both be in quarantine." He paused a moment to look at Peter, who was far too obviously biting back tears. "Do you have any immediate family I can call?"

Shake.

"No one you're related to?"

Shake.

"What about whoever is your emergency contact?"

Hesitation. Then a nod.

There was a shuffling of papers as Morita dug through Peter's file and then a disappointed sigh. "Peter, I think we need to have a serious talk with your aunt once she's better."

_If she gets better,_ Peter thought. _I don’t want to lose anyone else, please!_

"Just call the number," he whispered hoarsely, and buried his face in hands, trying to take deep and even breaths. _Keep it together, Parker!_

Time passed, and then there were hands on his shoulders and a voice in his ear, and he followed the person listlessly, all his thoughts on May. She’d been there for him ever since his parents died, and she was so supportive of his Spider-Manning, even when he had lied to her and snuck out of the house for months. He didn’t deserve her, but oh gosh, he couldn’t lose her. It would kill him. Oh gosh.

It was all because of this stupid virus. Why was it here? When would it go away? His chest tightened. 

Vaguely, Peter realised that he had been pushed into a car, and he heard his name.

"Wha-?" he said, blinking his eyes and finally seeing again. He was in the backseat of Tony's Audi, and the man himself was sitting next to him, hands on his shoulders, grounding him. “I, uh I -”

He finally gave in. He burst into tears and pitched forward, mildly surprised when Tony caught him and wrapped his arms around him. He buried his face in the man's neck, whimpering. “Please don’t go, too,” murmured. 

Tony tightened his arms. “I’m here, and I’m not leaving you. Ever. You and I are gonna have so much fun together in quarantine.”

Peter gave a slight huff of laughter. “But what if she dies? What if she never comes back?”

“She’s a strong woman, your aunt,” Tony said matter-of-factly. “If anyone can survive COVID, it’s her.”

Nodding, Peter tried to calm the tears, but they wouldn’t stop.

"It's okay, Pete," Tony soothed. "We'll be okay."

**Author's Note:**

> Right! I hope that was enough to whet your appetites. I am considering making this into a longer, possibly multi-chapter fic, so I just wanted to gauge if anyone would be interested before starting to plan it - after Febuwhump, of course. What do you think?


End file.
